Posted on 9/6/2021 by Tiny Teeth Pediatric Dentistry
Many parents call the second year of their kid's life 'the terrible twos.' The eruption of molars is one of the main reasons that makes this period in parenthood so hard. Molars are fairly large in size. Therefore, they tend to cause greater pain and discomfort when erupting as compared to other teeth before them.
It goes without saying that molars play an essential role in the mouth. They are the main teeth your child uses for grinding, crushing, and chewing food. While the primary molars are milk teeth and eventually fall out, the last molars to come in are permanent. It's essential to properly care for and keep track of your child's molars to prevent dental troubles down the lane.
Baby Molars vs Permanent Molars
You probably know that adults have a full set of 32 teeth that grow after milk or baby teeth. As such, it's not too surprising why many parents make a common mistake. They often assume that their kids will have all 32 milk teeth before the permanent ones start erupting. But that is not the case.
Generally, children grow only 20 milk teeth - 10 each in the upper and lower jaws. They fall out gradually as the 32 permanent teeth (16 in each of upper and lower jaws) replace them one by one.
Typically, the central incisors (front-most teeth) are the first to erupt and fall out. The lateral incisors and canines follow next. Your child is likely to grow their first two molars by the time they are 2 - 2 1/2 years old.
The third molars, which happen to be the first permanent molars, usually emerge between ages 6 and 7. For this reason, they are often known as the "six-year molars."
The six-year molars do not replace existing milk or baby teeth. Therefore, it is common for parents to mistake them for primary teeth. But remember, your child will only grow one set of the third molars that ought to last them for a lifetime.
On average, your child may have 28 of their permanent teeth by the time they are 13 years old. The remaining four teeth are the wisdom teeth (called the third permanent molars). These typically erupt between 17 and 21 years of age. If there are problems like late eruption or misalignment with the initial molars, it can impact the wisdom teeth.
Late fall out of the baby molars and crowding before the emergence of the last molar are among the leading causes people have to get their wisdom teeth removed in adulthood.
In addition to masticating food, molars play an important role in shaping your child's facial bone structure. Thus, to make sure your kid's molars are growing straight, visit us at Tiny Teeth Pediatric Dentistry. For more information, call (316) 202-9629.
Blog - Wichita, KS • Tiny Teeth Pediatric Dentistry At Tiny Teeth Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Healy created this informative blog to assist with educating the community about various topics of pediatric dentistry. Tiny Teeth Pediatric Dentistry, 3933 N. Maize Road, Suite 200 Wichita, KS 67101; (316) 202-9629; tinyteethwichita.com; 10/9/2024; Page Keywords: Pediatric Dentist Wichita KS;
Many parents call the second year of their kid's life 'the terrible twos.' The eruption of molars is one of the main reasons that makes this period in parenthood so hard. Molars are fairly large in size. Therefore, they tend to cause greater pain and discomfort when erupting as compared to other teeth before them. 